Land Rover

Land Rover Defender build years & generations

Coverage 1998-present2 named generationsSUVDIESEL / PETROL / HYBRID ELECTRIC / UNKNOWN

The Land Rover Defender spans several build years and named generations (1998-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest Land Rover Defender generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 1998-2004
Generation
Classic (Td5/Puma)
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2008
Generation
Classic (Td5/Puma)
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009-2012
Generation
Classic (Td5/Puma)
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
Classic (Td5/Puma)
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2020
Generation
L663
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2021+
Generation
L663
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted with every car built from 2021.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
1998-2004	Classic (Td5/Puma)	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2008	Classic (Td5/Puma)	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009-2012	Classic (Td5/Puma)	2009-2012	Counted with this generation only.
2013-2016	Classic (Td5/Puma)	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2020	L663	2017-2020	Counted with this generation only.
2021+	L663	2021 onwards	Counted with every car built from 2021.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of Land Rover Defender build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

L663 only

All L663 cars built from 2021. Newer cars join this group until there is enough MOT history to split it.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

8.4%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

17,367

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

10,8017.9%

4 years

6,5668.4%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

L663 only

These build years are all L663, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 5 years old (latest age)

10.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 7 (13.5%)

Ages with data

4 to 5 years old

MOT tests counted

4,667

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

2,21210.1%

5 years

2,45510.8%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 5 years old.

Built

2013-2016

Classic (Td5/Puma) only

These build years are all Classic (Td5/Puma), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

22.3%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

23,187

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

51014.3%

9 years

4,58416.0%

10 years

7,97518.2%

11 years

6,68521.0%

12 years

3,43322.3%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 12 years old.

Built

2009-2012

Classic (Td5/Puma) only

These build years are all Classic (Td5/Puma), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

24.4%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

20,015

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

1,97822.4%

13 years

5,09322.9%

14 years

5,46024.7%

15 years

4,93225.0%

16 years

2,55224.4%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 15 years old.

Built

2005-2008

Classic (Td5/Puma) only

These build years are all Classic (Td5/Puma), so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

24.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

20,686

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

1,86124.7%

17 years

5,50525.4%

18 years

4,78425.8%

19 years

5,36926.0%

20 years

3,16724.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 19 years old.

Built

Before 2005

Classic (Td5/Puma) only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the Classic (Td5/Puma).

Fail rate at 25+ years old

26.7%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (23%)

Ages with data

20 to 25+ years old

MOT tests counted

66,858

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

2,33728.3%

21 years

5,82327.2%

22 years

5,62026.0%

23 years

4,56427.8%

24 years

3,64727.0%

25+ years

44,86726.7%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.